Chassis construction for motor vehicles



March 30,1926. C

M. WALTER CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed June 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 30 1926. 1,578,302 I M. WALTER CHASSIS CONSTRIECTION FOR MOTORWEHIGLES Filed June 21, 1923 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 0 1N VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES MAURICE WALTER, 0F NEW YOBK, N. Y.

CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed June 21, 1923. Serial in 646,736. I

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE WALTER, a citizen of the United States, residin'g in the borough of Manhattan, of the city of New 6 York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chassis Construction for Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification. reference being. had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to improvements in chassis construction for motor vehicles and particularly for motor vehicles of the storage battery type.

Electrically propelled vehicles have not been widely used up to now and'one of the reasons for their lack of popularity has been the excessive manufacturing and upkeep their cruising radius. The strong and rugged chassis heretofore found necessary to support the extremely heavy storage batteries have involved a high costof manufacture. The weight of such a chassis together with the weight of the storage batteries have required so much power to propel the vehicle that very many miles .could not be covered without recharging the batteries. The batteries have been supported at such a high point by the usual chassis construction that the'center of gravity of the vehicle was quite elevated which gave rise to the side sway and other undesirable motions of the body. These motions together with the weight of the\ vehicle resulted in so much wear and tear on the vehicle as to make the cost of upkeep out of all proportion to the effectiveness of the .vehicle.

The present invention seeks to provide a construction in which the weight of the storage batteries is so distributed and supported that a lighter chassis frame maybe used and the. center of gravity of the chassis and its load maintained ata relatively low point; It also seeks to provide a construction in which the various component members of the chassis frame may becaused to serve more than one purpose thereby eliminating various parts which now only add to the burden of the chassis frame with- With such a construction an electrically propelled motor vehicle has become as effective costs of such vehicles in comparison withmay serve to connect the side rails.

assembled for replacementsand repairs.

as the usual gasoline driven vehicle with respect to its cruising radius, initial costs and costs of upkeep.

In accordance with the invention it is proposed to mount the supports for the storage batteries directl upon the usual springs thereby relieving otli er parts of the frame of excessive strains and enabling lighter parts to be used. The batteries maybe divided and a part thereof supported over each axle, whereby a greater proportion of'the' weight s carried by-the rear wheels which results in better traction, improved riding qualities and easier steering. The battery supports may be used as connectors for the side rails of the chassis and by extendin them beyond the ends of the rails over t e axles, relatively short side rails may be used which are of less length than the distance between the axles.

The side rails may then-be set down between the axles at. substantially the cured together. By the use of bolts or the like the chassis may be assembled under ordinary shop practice and repairs or replacements effected without taking down the entire chassis. By stamping the various component elements of the chassis out of sheet metal, each element maybe formed to serve more than one purpose. For instance portions of the front and rear battery supports Other portions thereof maybe formed to provide supports for the fenders and to serve as fender skirts and splashers. The rear battery support is shaped to provide a clearance for the rear axle and this clearance may-serve as a base for the rear seat'and body panels Supports for the motor serve not only as braces for the'siderails' atthe mid portion thereof but also serve to support the base for the drivers seat. 7

Other-objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof which is-illustrated in the accom panyingdrawings and in which: f --Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a mo tor vehicle embodying the invention and showing the relative positions of the front batteries and the frame.

Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of the front and 'rear storage batteries and the relation of the axles and body with respect to the frame.

- Figs. 3 and 4 are views in'plan and side elevation, respectively of the chassis frame showing the location of the various cross frame members and the motor with respect to the side frame members.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the chassis frame looking from the left'in Figs. 3 and 4 and showing the front cross member.

Fig. 6' is a similar view looking from the "right in these figures and showing the rear cross member. v p

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is indicated a motor vehicle in its entirety in which the present invention is embodied, but it will be understood that only so much of the vehicle as comes'within the'purview of the invention will be described and that so far as that portion of the vehicle is concerned forming no part of the present invention any "suitable standard construction .may be employed to advantage. I

The frame of the vehicle, generally indicated as 0, includes relatively-short side rails a, a preferably formed in channel section from sheet metal. These side rails extend only between the axles m, yand at their forward ends converge as at a .a for the purpose of permittin greater freedom of angular. movement of t e steering wheels..- At the front of the frame and connecting the side rails is a cross member 1), preferably also stamped out of sheet metal, as illustrated. lhis member is-secured to the upper surface of the side rails and extends beyond their ends over the front axle w. On the cross member I) are formed portionsb b extending' in a enerall downward direction 'to provide a ditiona seating surfaces for attachment of the side. rails. The member I) is of substantial width, in the direction from front to rear, and serves as a'support for storage batteries f which are shown as cov- .ered and protected by'any convenient hood It, Suitable bracket's'b 6 maybe formed on or secured to the cross member to serve as conventional means of attachment for the usual front springs z of the vehicle. The sides of the front cross member '6 are bent upwardly as shown inFigs. 3 and 4 to form wings and front fenders'but may a side ortions or Wings 6 b. In the preferre riveted or otherwise secured thereto. If necessary, for additional strength, a brace .b? may be-secured to the wings b, b. This brace' not only adds to the rigidity of the so serve as a support for the head lights Z.

' Connecting the side rails a a at the rear of the frame is the cross member 0, prefer ably also stamped out of sheet metal as for attachment of the side rails.

embodiment of the invention these wings are shaped to conform to the config- Q uration of the front fenders d which are illustrated. It is connected to the upper surfaces of the side rails and extends beyond the ends thereof over the rear axle y. By

the provision of these cross members, secured to the side rails in this manner, the side rails are enabled to-be set down practically at the level of the axles to provide a very low chassis construction. This is accomplished in part-by forming the rear cross member with an offset portion. a to provide aclearance for the rear axle. The cross member 0 is also formed with portion 0 0 extending in a generally downward direc-. tion to provide additional seating surfaces Suitable brackets such as 0 0 are also formed on or secured to the cross member to provide means of attachment for the rear springs '10.

It, will be understood that these brackets may be disposed upon the cross members to conform to any desired spring suspension. The sides of cross member 0 are also bent upwardly as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 to form .side portions or wings 0 a". It is preferred that these wings be shaped to conform to the configuration of the rear fenders d which I are riveted or otherwise secured thereto. By

the provision of these wings I), b, a, 0, to'

the base 8 of the rear seat cushion s and for therear body panel 6. To the rear of the offset portion the cross member may be extended to form a support 0 for storage batteries f which may be protected and covered 'in any convenient manner as by the hood. ht

The part 0 may also serve as a support'for a tire rack and tail light, not shown.

Intermediate the, two end cross members there is secured to the side rails a" a cross members at, m also I preferably of sheet metal formed as angle irons. The motor m may be suspended from members m, m and they may: also serveas a support for, the

base 8 of the drivers seat cushion 8.

The various members. coinprising the chassis may be secured together in any desired manner but "in the preferred embodi- -m11t they are bolted together in order that they may be readily assembledv anddisase sembled for the purpose of repairs. A

ramef constructed. according to the present invention lends itself readily to repairs since.

one or more parts may be. replaced without disturbing any of the other partsof the chassis. I

While there has been illustrated. a pre-j ferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood that modifications may be the ends thereof, said second mentioned made in the shape and relative positions cross member being shaped to provide a of the various component members of the clearance for the rear axle, and means se- ChilSSlS WitllOllt departing fIOID. the spirit cured to said cross members for upporting and scope of the invention and that no liini the frame from the axles. tation thereof is intended other than, 51$ 4:, In motor Vehicle frame construction, set out in the appended claims. longitudinal side frame members, pressed What I claim is: metal cross members connecting the ends of 1, 1 motor vehicle frame construction, said side member and formed with vertically longitudinal side frame members, a storage disposed portions serving as fender skirts battery support connecting the front endsfer the fenders. of said side members, a storage battery sup- 5. In a motor vehicle, axles, longitudinal port secured to the rear ends of said side side frame members disposed between the members, and means secured to the supports axles, a pressed metal cross member connectfor supporting the frame from the axles.

2. In motor vehicle frame construction, means secured to said cross member for suplongitudinal side frame members, cross porting the frame from the front axle, a members secured to the side members at pressed metal cross member connecting the either end thereof to support storage batread ends of the side members and extendteries and intermediate cross members to ing beyond the ends thereof, said last mensupport a motor and the drivers seat. tioned cross member being shaped to provide 3. In motor vehicle frame construction, a recess for the rear axle and serving as a channel shaped side frame members, a base for the rear seat, and means secured pressed metal cross member connecting the to said cross member for supportlng the front ends of said side members and extendframe fr0m the rear axle. ing beyond the ends thereof, a pressed metal Thls specification signed this 19th day of cross member connecting the rear ends of June A. D. 1923. said side members and extending beyond MAURICE WALTER.

ing the front endsof said side members, 

